Be sensitive... Fred supporters are more upset than we would be

[Jeremy]

If Ron Paul dropped out right now, we wouldn't even be as sad. Think about it, we already have plans to continue the movement Ron Paul has sparked if Ron Paul is not elected this year.

Everyone else supports a candidate, not a whole movement. This is probably hard for them... be nice

[hillertexas]

Here is a polite sample letter courtesy of HazardPerry:

An Open Letter to Fred Thompson Supporters

In a Republican party where everybody seems to have divergent opinions, it is sometimes hard to stand back and appreciate the similarities, not only between the candidates, but between a candidate and his party's platform. For many Republicans, and most true conservatives, this cycle has been a dissapointing, if not alarming one. It comes on the heels of two terms of expansionist foreign adventurism, deficit spending, wasteful government programs, gross federal mismanagement, and repeated scandal. That the very nature of conservatism has become a prime issue to Republicans is indicative of the fractures in the party and its electorate.

If you take away the names and the (R)'s and the rhetoric and look, side-by-side at the records of the Republican candidates, some trends become apparent. The majority of Republicans seeking nomination do not set any sort of conservative standard in their projects or voting record. Some could even be classified objectively as liberal! Mass amnesty for illegal immigrants? No Child Left Behind? Raising taxes 47 percent? One called Barry Goldwater an "incompetent, confused, and sometimes idiotic man." The list goes on, but the party will not, if candidates think that a hawkish foreign policy and some lipservice to small government are the only credentials necessary for success.

The Ron Paul community has always had a bit of a soft spot for Fred Thompson. He isn't taken to cackling at ideas of small government, he isn't keen on snap judgements, and he cares about the core of the Republican party. When our candidate was excluded from a Fox Debate, Fred brought up many of the same issues that Ron may have raised. While it is a competition, we always felt glad that at least somebody else understood the principles of conservatism, and the important thing was that the message was being heard. But now Fred Thompson has left us, after rough showings in states that wear their philosophy on their sleeves until it comes time to actually vote. This is disheartening, because the future of our party and of the very word 'conservative,' we feel, has now been winnowed down to one last candidate... Ron Paul.

We need a coalition of thinkers, of people who can look past the rhetoric, see beyond the posturing. We need conservatives in mind and spirit. This is our party, and it is a confused one. But we must never confuse our principles, and in that refusal, we can light the way to victory and a restoration of real values in government.

Will you join us?

Fred Thompson on the issues: http://www.fred08.com/Principles/PrinciplesSummary.aspx?View=OnTheIssues
Ron Paul on the issues: http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues

[jlizgar]

Ive already appologized to a few of my friends who are fred supporters, told them I was sorry to hear about fred...but I cant help be happy inside for Paul....thats 1 down!

Liz :)

[billyjoeallen]

My parents were supporters of Thompson. He had a lot of good positions and he was great in Die Hard II. There's plenty of room for Fredheads here. Welcome to the r3VOLution, Fredheads!

[MayTheRonBeWithYou]

The best way to approach it is to congratulate them on Fred running an honorable campaign and bringing up important issues like entitlements and smaller government. Then mention that Ron supports those ideas more than anyone else left in the race.

[Dan Klaus]

agree...they are good and smart people...hope they post on our board...always liked that they knew the issues so well and could hold a conversation based on issues...

[hawks4ronpaul]

There are multiple Thompson threads so I will repost this bit because this information might help to welcome Thompson supporters.

I will say this for Thompson: In the Fox debate without RP, Thompson actually dared to talk about reforming Social Security, and he actually mentioned reversing the huge mistake made decades ago that indexed the PRE-retirement "implicit rate of return" to wages rather than inflation (making SS unsustainable).

Not only was it an RP-like detail that cut to the heart of the entitlement problem, but the Fox moderator obviously had no idea what Thompson was talking about no matter how many times Thompson tried to re-explain it.


http://hawks4ronpaul.blogspot.com/

[wgadget]

Now Michael Medved is saying there are FOUR STRONG CANDIDATES....God love him.

[Primbs]

Alot of Thompson supporters were blind to the cues that Fred was sending out that he was not going to fight too hard for the nomination.

Just yesterday, I was told by Fred supporters that Fred is not lazy and that it is just bad media.

[RobS]

Thompson would have been my second and only other choice. Not a big fan of his foreign policy, but Ron's policy IS a lot different from what the neocons say that conservatives need to support. He was the only other candidate talking about social security and entitlements.

[nc4rp]

The best way to approach it is to congratulate them on Fred running an honorable campaign and bringing up important issues like entitlements and smaller government. Then mention that Ron supports those ideas more than anyone else left in the race.

agreed

[bostongirl80]

Perhaps the moderator of RonPaulForums could post a forum subtopic entitled "Fred Supporters For Ron Paul", that way they could continue together in support of the RP revolution.

[libertythor]

http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/fred_thompson_quits_gop_presidential_primary_race


Politely convince them that RP is their next choice here!

[Kilrain]

Now Michael Medved is saying there are FOUR STRONG CANDIDATES....God love him.

Four "strong" candidates - and one super-candidate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALfo4N-s8io